Your imaginative little artist is all about taking out the paints, markers, glue, glitter, yarn and paper. But, what about putting it all away? Um, that kind of never happens. So you end up stashing the supplies in the first empty shopping bag you grab or tossing them into a junk cabinet. Yup, you’re in need of some artsy organization—right now. Before your child’s crafting cascade takes over your home, scroll down to check out these simple (yet totally genius) storage solutions!
photo: Mini Monets and Mommies
1. Tape It Up
You have a zillion used tissue boxes sitting around. You could toss the boxes. Or, you could reuse those boxes and turn them into colorful craft storage. Break out a rainbow of duct tape, and use it to decorate an empty tissue box. Now it’s ready to hold pencils, markers, paintbrushes, pipe cleaners and more.
photo: Lolly Jane
2. Dino Designs
Who has a dino-loving kiddo? Yep, that’s you. Then this rad storage jar DIY from Lolly Jane is your child’s dream. Oh, and you can also store your child’s play dough or modeling clay in it. That makes this crafty storage solution fabulous and totally functional.
photo: Just A Girl Blog
3. Caddy Up
All of those art supplies won’t organize themselves. Just A Girl Blog created this cute caddy that makes storage so, so, so simple. You can separate all of your child’s supplies into individual spaces, and move them from room to room in this portable (and awesome) option.
photo: Mini Monets and Mommies
4. Egg Them On
Wait! Don’t throw away that old egg carton. As long as it’s clean (no random egg shells or gooey drips), you can reuse it as a craft caddy. If you have loads of loose glitter, craft sand or anything that’s similarly small, tame it with this recycled storage “bin”. Just close the top when your littler crafter is done for the day, and pack the carton away.
photo: Sew Many Ways
5. File It Away
The mountain of scrap fabric and felt that your child is amassing may just be taking over. Tossing it all into a box is making your organizer-self go kind of crazy. Instead, sort it all out, and file it away like Sew Many Ways did.
photo: Damask Love
6. Spin a Yarn
Craft storage can look pretty too. Damask Love made this baker’s twine organizer that you can also use for spools of yarn, floss or ribbon. Not only will it organize all of those loose ends, but it makes a sweet little display too.
photo: Ana White
7. DIY Dream
Craft storage gets fantastically functional with this homemade table from Ana White. Your child can sit and draw to her heart’s delight, and it also stores all of the artsy items. That’s right, your child can store their materials inside of the table—and not in a desk type of way.
photo: Gabby Cullen
8. Kit and Caboodle
Any child of the ’80s and ’90s will remember the Caboodle. With layers of trays, organizing supplies for creative work has never been so easy. Plus, the super solid latch ensures not one bit goes astray.
9. Cute Crayon Caddy
As if traveling doesn’t present enough packing challenges when you have kids in tow, add on a craft bag and you have a recipe for a mega-mess. Don’t lose all of those crayons in the cracks and crevices of the minivan. Instead, load them into a DIY crayon caddy. Simply reuse an old travel diaper wipe container, turning it into a crayon-sized holder. If you have more than a few crayons (or want to store markers and pens too), reuse a regular-sized diaper wipe container.
Do you have your own crafty storage solution? Share it in the comments below!
— Erica Loop
